The Counter-Reformation

Etymology

A compound of “counter-” (“against, in response”) and Reformation; the term is a later historical coinage, echoing the German “Gegenreformation” of the late 18th century. It captures both the defensive push against Protestantism and the internal renewal centered on the Council of Trent. Some historians prefer “Catholic Reformation” to stress that the renewal was not merely reactive.

noun · /KOWN-ter-ref-or-MAY-shun/
The Catholic Church’s revival and reform movement in the 16th and 17th centuries, launched in response to the Protestant Reformation.
What it names
How an institution under attack can both defend itself and reform from within — a pattern of reactive renewal seen far beyond religion.
Example
The dramatic, emotional art of the era was partly the Counter-Reformation’s bid to win hearts back to Rome.
Related idea
Distinguish it from the Reformation it answered; the Reformation broke the church apart, while the Counter-Reformation was the incumbent’s counterpunch and self-repair.